Body Design

[Pr3Va1L]

Here's the design i'll (probably) be using for the guitar i'm building this summer =D

was trying to do something no one done with a single cut... Neck is a Carvin neckthrough...

what do you think??

Edited May 11, 2005 by Pr3Va1L

[Petary791]

I really like that design!

Good luck.

Edited May 11, 2005 by Petary791

[Setch]

JIMO. but I don't like it. I think it's too long in the body, and looks like you're trying too hard to produce an 'original' design. I also think you could work on a design with *much* better high fret access - a good design should aim to incorporate practical objectives in an aesthetically pleasing way, rather than shooting for style over substance.

[Pr3Va1L]

actually, you've reminded me how the high fret access was the whole point, on paper it was at like fret 20-22... I'll try to see what i did differently in photoshop.

and what do you guys think of the headstock?

[darren wilson]

The whole thing looks awkward and unbalanced to me. Adapting the standard Carvin 6-inline headstock to a 4+2 arrangement also looks odd and has the strings fanning out on really strange angles.

Carvin will sell you a paddlehead neck so you can cut your own (original) headstock profile, and i think the upcharge is minimal.

[Pr3Va1L]

anyways, thanks all for your comments! I know not everyone likes this design, but i like it

still have to see how il'll look as an actual guitar...

also, this WILL be a paddle headstock... this is my custom design... inspired by parker's headstock actuall

and for the balance, i don't think it will be bad for that.

Worst case senario: i'll find the right place for the strap button so it's balanced

revised version...

thanks for your constructive comments thoug!

Edited May 12, 2005 by Pr3Va1L

[Drak]

That is the absolute ugliest piece of crap I have -ever- seen.

I am -dead- serious.

Try again is my vote.

[HeavnerGuitarWorks]

That is the absolute ugliest piece of crap I have -ever- seen.

   

I am -dead- serious.

Try again is my vote.

←

Ditto!

[VanKirk]

*Steve Martin Voice*

"What tha hail eeis thayat"

[Devon Headen]

Thank you Drak for speaking what was on my mind the whole time I was reading. I was getting a little tired of the PC replies.

[joej]

Opinions and butt holes? Everyone has one.

Here's mine (opinion that is) ...

1- upper/bass body side looks so much larger/heavier than the bottom/treble side

It feels out of proportion. Its sort-of like the neck-through should shift downward a bit & the top should lose some weight

2- headstock look cramped / string angle break oddly

You may want to shift it "up" ... or widen the headstock a wee bit.

3- I don't know if I like the bottom horn or not.

I think I like it ... but that the line between the horns should sweep more than be a straight line. Maybe. Or, heck, maybe that little horn needs to poke out a bit more :-)

My photoshop skills are lacking ... but here is an example of just shifting the treble side up and the headstock shifted + expanded a bit (below).

-- joe

edit -- wow, my ps skills do suck: ignore the goofs ... I hope you get the general idea, though.

[!!METAL MATT!!]

Im sorry man But the body looks like a Dam big HAMSTER

But realy Man Dont give up Just keep at And try a bit less

!!METAL MATT!!

[Dswain81]

This is probably the funniest thread I have ever read here at the PGF. Seriously though, just keep at it until you find the design that you really like and one that will be functional too.

Good luck.

[skibum5545]

Dude, don't try so hard. Think about the essentials:

-Balance

-Upper fret access

-Comfort, standing or sitting

But whatever you do, DON'T do that shape! Sorry man, but it's just not meant to be.

Make the whole thing wider, not so long, smooth the curves, work on the fret access, and that lump/jut on the ass end of it... uhm, you get the point.

To be honest, it looks like a gene splice between a sperm whale and a Warwick Thumb bass.. one of the earlier attempts.

[GregP]

Horrible.

I wonder if I'm the only one who plays seated when I look at some guitars. Not just this design, but even tried and true classics. LPs (dual or single cutaway) feel horrible. Ditto for my Godin LG. Feels like it's gonna slip off all the time. My project is going to be iffy for seated playing as well. My headless, though, is going to be all about ergonomics.

The upper bout is also just way too big and round.

Nasty.

Greg

[Mickguard]

uh oh, don't know if I have the right to weigh in on this one, considering the weirdness I've come up with.

I agree though, you're trying way to hard to be original. There's no need. You end up with a gimp-guitar like you've got.

Although I have to say there's a big improvement in the revised version....still, that upper horn is just going to get in the way while you're playing.

Like I mentioned in the thread about Metal Matt's latest, there's a danger when reinventing the wheel --it's really difficult to achieve a 'timeless' design, something that looks like it was always meant to be a real guitar. Matt's guitar has that (for me, although I personally don't like it ) ....the Bocaster don't!

As for myself, now that I've got my own design-it-yerself out of my system, I'm moving toward building/redesigning existing guitar designs.

Well, as long as we're having fun doodling on people's designs, here's one direction to take yours (sorry, I don't have time to do anything more precise):

Oh yeah, and regardless, there are definite issues with playing while seated for guitars without a scoop on the bottom...as Greg points out, even when you have a scoop, it can be too far forward...my Melody Maker, for example, is just a little bit too far forward, so I can't quite get the guitar where I want it while I'm seated.

[GregP]

The design's getting there with idch's revision. I would have the lower horn reflect the shape and feel of the upper bout a bit, giving it integration. I tried mocking it up in Paint Shop, but I can't get smooth mouse curves so I gave up. I get frustrated quickly and easily this late at night.

Greg

[darren wilson]

Just a few more tweaks and it'll be looking a lot like this.

[Mr.Churchyard]

what do you think??

←

Really cannot figure out what you like in this design...

[Daniel Sorbera]

I played around with it and this is what I got

(forget the headstock, you can put what ever you wan't there)

On yours the parts in the middle where it sucks in diddn't suck in enough making it look kinda like an ironing board. So what do you think of that?

Also this one should be more comfterable sitting down.

I have the photoshop file with the pen tool so you can manipulate what I came up with. Tell me if anyone wants it and I will post it. ( I use the pen tool to make all my desings so you can move and skew the lines after your done)

Edited May 12, 2005 by Godin SD

[Devon Headen]

I think that's the best so far, but I still don't see the point. Boggs built a guitar similar to that, but he had the ugly shape for ergonomics. That makes sense. This whole design is unbalanced and only looks ugly for the sake of being original.

[Pr3Va1L]

first off, i like my guitar design(s). I don't really care if you think i'm some idiot trying to "reinvent he weel"... At least i' not an idiot making another of those damn strats.

even thoug i like what you did, Godin, i'm keeping the little curve on the bridge side of the guitar... all the designs i did have it and i think its cool.

The guitar has no reasons to be unbalanced... Or for it to have the upper horn in the way! no more than any single cutaway.

There's something i have realised thoug. The only reason it looks weird is because it's a nech through...

I just saw the fernandes ravelle... It's somewhat looking like it yet it looks good.

anyways, i'll still be building this, and i probably won't do it exactly like this (it's pretty out of proportions). I'll see if it's "ergonomic" when i make a 1:1 mock up.

think what you wish, i like it.

[GregP]

Then you didn't need to solicit our opinions! Shoulda just stormed ahead with it and weathered the comments when they started coming. "NNnooooo, why would you do that to a perfectly good piece of mahogany!"

Godin's version still looks god-awful, IMO. The upper right... what the heck is it called... bout? Where a Les Paul's toggle would normally go...

Is too big and weird-shaped. It's a very unbalanced-seeming guitar in general so far. Build it if you like it, though. I don't anticipate many people liking my headless whenever I get around to it.

Greg

[Mr.Churchyard]

Now I remember what it remembers me... sort of a molten Jag... But I guess in reality it will look different than the design (worse? better? only time will tell).

Go ahead, perhaps the actual result will be a big surprise to all of us...

Edited May 13, 2005 by Mr.Churchyard

[Drak]

I was careful not to slam you personally in any way, because I dig originality and creativity and am all for that type of thing, I just think your design is complete and utter buttwind.

As I respect your right to be creative and come up with anything you can think of, you should respect our right to disagree since you asked for our opinions.

I was just being truthful, which I hope is what you wanted.

When I look at it, it actually makes me writhe on the floor like a slimy sea snake and utter vulgarities in ascerbic gutteral satanic tongues to be honest.

No biggie, I've been dogged for my designs too, doesn't bother me any, because -I- like them, and that's all that really counts in the end.

Build it if you like it!